The new project is being developed for the longtime Bellamy's restaurant space on Grand Avenue, although Bellamy's remains open as the team is "still working out details," leaving the timing and specifics of the transition uncertain. The forthcoming restaurant was quietly revealed this week in a San Diego Union-Tribune feature on Bent's approach to smoking food. The article notes that after stepping away from the punishing restaurant grind and spending time consulting and running barbecue pop-ups at Aero Club, Bent is now opening Bangers Barbecue in the "old Bellamy's spot in Escondido." The space is located at 417 West Grand Avenue in the heart of downtown Escondido.
SanDiegoVille contacted Bent seeking additional information about the project, including its concept, menu, ownership, anticipated opening timeline and whether Bangers represents an evolution of Papalo or an entirely new brand, but had not received a response by publication. If the project moves forward as described, Bangers will mark another significant chapter in a culinary career that has been both highly acclaimed and unusually nomadic.
Bent, a San Diego native and Art Institute of California graduate, spent years working through some of the region's better-known kitchens before establishing himself as a chef in his own right. His early résumé included Tender Greens, Tiger!Tiger!, Puesto, Carnitas' Snack Shack and Brian Malarkey-associated restaurants including Searsucker. In 2015, he joined Puesto as sous chef at The Headquarters.
His education extended well beyond San Diego. Bent spent time cooking at Alice Waters' legendary Chez Panisse in Berkeley and in 2017 landed a coveted position at René Redzepi's Noma Mexico pop-up in Tulum after reportedly contacting Redzepi directly through Instagram. During the same period, he also worked with chef Luis Arellano at Enrique Olvera's Criollo in Oaxaca while developing a Mexican-focused restaurant project back home.
That project became Lola 55. Bent joined owner Frank Vizcarra as executive chef and partner in the ambitious East Village taqueria, helping develop its menu and concept before the restaurant opened in 2018. Lola 55 quickly distinguished itself from San Diego's crowded taco field with mesquite-grilled meats, non-GMO corn tortillas made throughout the day and unusually elaborate compositions more closely resembling composed restaurant dishes than conventional street tacos.
During Bent's tenure, Lola 55 earned Michelin Guide Bib Gourmand recognition, an award reserved for restaurants offering particularly strong food at comparatively accessible prices. Michelin continues to list Lola 55 among its recognized San Diego restaurants, praising the restaurant's creative tacos and wood-fired preparations.
Bent's public profile expanded further in 2021 when he defeated celebrity chef Bobby Flay on Food Network's Beat Bobby Flay. By the following year, however, Bent parted ways with Lola 55 without explanation and pursued the opening of his own concept. That decision launched what would become a winding journey through multiple versions and locations of Bent's barbecue ambitions.
The first iteration, Papalito, opened in 2022 inside Little Thief wine bar in North Park. Bent described the restaurant as a sandwich-oriented precursor to Papalo, a larger concept built around Sonoran barbecue and the flavors of the desert Southwest. A separate Papalo location was initially planned for South Park as part of Bock Bar, but that project never materialized. Papalito itself ended its North Park run in 2023, and Bent shifted the barbecue operation downtown.
Papalo next became the food component inside ModBom Cocktails, a sprawling East Village bar that replaced Amplified Ale Works near Fault Line Park. That partnership lasted only about six months before Bent removed Papalo from the business despite what SanDiegoVille previously reported was a multi-year contractual arrangement.
ModBom itself collapsed shortly afterward and closed in fall 2023. Former employees later accused ModBom ownership of failing to provide W-2 tax forms, while vendors alleged unpaid invoices and questions were raised about gratuity payments. Those accusations concerned ModBom ownership rather than Bent, whose Papalo operation had already separated from the business before the bar closed.
Bent then moved Papalo again, this time taking over the former Boss Bird Kitchen space in downtown La Mesa in November 2023 and finally establishing the concept as a standalone restaurant. There, his unusual approach began receiving national attention.
Rather than attempting to reproduce Texas, Carolina or Kansas City barbecue, Bent described Papalo as "Sonoran" barbecue inspired by the scents and landscape of the Sonoran Desert. Meats were seasoned and smoked with herbs, woods and flavors drawn from Northern Mexico, the American Southwest and Bent's broader culinary background. A 2024 Houston Chronicle feature described Papalo as one of the most creative interpretations of barbecue its writer had encountered, highlighting dishes including sage-rubbed pork shoulder, mole barbecue chicken, cherry-glazed pork ribs and herb-smoked beef.
The concept appeared poised for expansion in late 2024 when Bent announced a partnership with City Tacos founder Gerry Torres. Torres was expected to become the majority owner, providing Papalo with purchasing power, distribution infrastructure and potential access to new locations around San Diego County. Eater reported that the pair were exploring possible expansion into neighborhoods including Little Italy, North Park, Ocean Beach and Encinitas. But the partnership ultimately failed to fully materialize.
Papalo closed its La Mesa restaurant later that year, and Bent told SanDiegoVille he planned to operate short-term residencies and concentrate on catering while searching for another permanent home. Torres proceeded with plans to repurpose the La Mesa location for a different restaurant, Tour de Tapas, rather than continuing the Papalo brand.
In the period since, Bent has remained active through consulting, special events and barbecue pop-ups, including appearances at Aero Club and participation in a 2025 carnitas cook-off at Carnitas' Snack Shack. He has also increasingly used social media as a platform for blunt restaurant-industry commentary, posting insider-oriented critiques and rants about the realities of operating restaurants, food costs, labor, ownership and what he sees as dysfunction within the business.
The posts have reinforced a public persona that has long been considerably less polished than the typical chef marketing machine: Bent has rarely seemed particularly interested in pretending the restaurant industry is easier, more glamorous or more rational than it actually is. That context makes Bangers Barbecue particularly interesting.
The Union-Tribune's profile published Wednesday suggests Bent's own relationship with the industry has changed. After years of what he described as 100-hour work weeks, he stepped away for approximately three months before shifting toward consulting and pop-ups. In discussing his approach to barbecue, Bent described smoke less as a blunt instrument than a seasoning that should be applied with restraint, a philosophy reflected in everything from smoked tomatoes and ribeyes to smoked-tallow chocolate chip cookies.
Bangers could therefore represent something different from Papalo rather than simply another relocation. Exactly what remains unclear.
The name suggests barbecue will remain central, but Bent has not publicly detailed whether Bangers will continue the Sonoran influence that defined Papalo, pursue a broader American barbecue identity, incorporate the more chef-driven dishes he has recently been demonstrating, or function as a hybrid restaurant and bar. Its location, however, gives Bent considerably more room to work with than some of his previous projects.
Bellamy's has occupied 417 West Grand Avenue since 2012 and has long been one of downtown Escondido's more established full-service restaurants. The restaurant became the first location associated with Grand Restaurant Group, the family-operated hospitality company that later expanded to concepts including Nick & G's, Cork & Knife, DiCicco's and, most recently, NÓMADA in Carlsbad.
Bellamy's currently operates as an upscale California-modern restaurant with live music, a main dining room, lounge and substantial outdoor event area. Its private-event facilities can accommodate up to roughly 150 guests outdoors and more than 200 for certain full-property configurations, giving the site considerably more flexibility than the smaller restaurant spaces Bent has previously occupied.
Grand Restaurant Group's website still lists Bellamy's among its active restaurants as of this week, and Bellamy's own website continues to advertise reservations, live music and private events. No formal closure announcement for Bellamy's appears to have been issued publicly, making the Union-Tribune reference to the "old Bellamy's spot" the clearest indication yet that a transition is underway.
For Bent, Bangers would offer something he has repeatedly pursued but struggled to maintain for long: a substantial permanent home for his barbecue. His trajectory has included acclaimed restaurants, international kitchens, Michelin recognition, national television, multiple pop-ups, a planned South Park project that disappeared, a North Park residency, a short-lived East Village partnership, a standalone La Mesa restaurant, an expansion deal that ultimately unraveled and another period of pop-ups and consulting.
Through all of it, the food itself has consistently attracted attention. Whether Bangers Barbecue finally becomes the lasting version of Bent's barbecue ambitions remains to be seen.
Bangers Barbecue is expected to open at 417 West Grand Avenue in downtown Escondido. An opening date and additional details have not yet been announced.
Originally published on August 13, 2026. Information regarding Bangers Barbecue first reported by Caron Golden for the San Diego Union-Tribune.
The Union-Tribune's profile published Wednesday suggests Bent's own relationship with the industry has changed. After years of what he described as 100-hour work weeks, he stepped away for approximately three months before shifting toward consulting and pop-ups. In discussing his approach to barbecue, Bent described smoke less as a blunt instrument than a seasoning that should be applied with restraint, a philosophy reflected in everything from smoked tomatoes and ribeyes to smoked-tallow chocolate chip cookies.
Bangers could therefore represent something different from Papalo rather than simply another relocation. Exactly what remains unclear.
The name suggests barbecue will remain central, but Bent has not publicly detailed whether Bangers will continue the Sonoran influence that defined Papalo, pursue a broader American barbecue identity, incorporate the more chef-driven dishes he has recently been demonstrating, or function as a hybrid restaurant and bar. Its location, however, gives Bent considerably more room to work with than some of his previous projects.
Bellamy's has occupied 417 West Grand Avenue since 2012 and has long been one of downtown Escondido's more established full-service restaurants. The restaurant became the first location associated with Grand Restaurant Group, the family-operated hospitality company that later expanded to concepts including Nick & G's, Cork & Knife, DiCicco's and, most recently, NÓMADA in Carlsbad.
Bellamy's currently operates as an upscale California-modern restaurant with live music, a main dining room, lounge and substantial outdoor event area. Its private-event facilities can accommodate up to roughly 150 guests outdoors and more than 200 for certain full-property configurations, giving the site considerably more flexibility than the smaller restaurant spaces Bent has previously occupied.
Grand Restaurant Group's website still lists Bellamy's among its active restaurants as of this week, and Bellamy's own website continues to advertise reservations, live music and private events. No formal closure announcement for Bellamy's appears to have been issued publicly, making the Union-Tribune reference to the "old Bellamy's spot" the clearest indication yet that a transition is underway.
For Bent, Bangers would offer something he has repeatedly pursued but struggled to maintain for long: a substantial permanent home for his barbecue. His trajectory has included acclaimed restaurants, international kitchens, Michelin recognition, national television, multiple pop-ups, a planned South Park project that disappeared, a North Park residency, a short-lived East Village partnership, a standalone La Mesa restaurant, an expansion deal that ultimately unraveled and another period of pop-ups and consulting.
Through all of it, the food itself has consistently attracted attention. Whether Bangers Barbecue finally becomes the lasting version of Bent's barbecue ambitions remains to be seen.
Bangers Barbecue is expected to open at 417 West Grand Avenue in downtown Escondido. An opening date and additional details have not yet been announced.
Originally published on August 13, 2026. Information regarding Bangers Barbecue first reported by Caron Golden for the San Diego Union-Tribune.